U.S. Squadron Thanked

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31763, 21 August 1968, Page 8

U.S. Squadron Thanked

A plaque expressing the appreciation of the British Antarctic Survey for a mercy flight made by the United States VX6 Squadron last year to rescue Dr J. Brotherhood was presented to the squadron at Quonset Point, Rhode Island, recently. Rear-Admiral J. L. Abbot, commander of the United States Naval Support Forces in Antarctica, presented the plaque on behalf of Sir Vivian Fuchs, the director of the British Antarctic Survey, to Commander E. W. Van Reetb, commanding officer of the squadron. Sir Vivian Fuchs wrote that all members of his team were impressed by the speed and

efficiency with which the rescue was made. The squadron’s mission was to fly from McMurdo Station across the Antarctic continent to the British station at Halley Bay, pick up Dr Brotherhood, who had a broken jaw and spinal injuries, fly him back to McMurdo and then to

Christchurch for admission to hospital. The photograph above shows Admiral Abbot presenting the plaque to Commander Van Reeth. With them is Rear-Admiral L. E. S. H. Leßallly, the British Naval Attache in Washington.